The present invention relates to techniques for monitoring the state of home networks including items such as security and Quality of Service (QoS) and, more specifically, to enabling configuration of such networks in accordance with one or more policies.
Corporate IT managers spend tremendous amounts of time, money, and resources creating reliable and secure network environments for their users. A vast array of sophisticated tools enable IT personnel to monitor and control the behavior of users, the configuration of machines, and the enforcement of corporate IT policies on their corporate intranets. Tools such as Hewlett Packard's OpenView Management Software provide corporate NOCs with near real-time data on network usage. However, the business necessity of providing support for users working from home often defeats many of the safeguards IT personnel so painstakingly put in place.
Depending on the definition of “telecommuter,” estimates range from 6.9 to 67 million Americans working from home, many of whom connect with the office network. While working at home, telecommuters often connect to their office networks via home networks which are not typically configured with robust security. That is, home networks are generally configured for ease of use rather than security. Internet service providers want to minimize support calls so they try to make things as generic as possible. In addition, with adoption of WiFi, home networks have become increasingly vulnerable to unauthorized users from outside the home. People with malicious intent are able drive around neighborhoods looking for wireless access points (APs) with which to connect to gain access to the home network and, through them, to corporate networks. In addition, neighbors may gain access to the home network without leaving their homes. Consumer APs do not typically come with any security enabled by default, and the most widely supported encryption algorithms (WEP, WPA personal) have been cracked.
Wireless networks in the home are also becoming increasingly attractive to cellular phone carriers as a solution to providing better coverage inside homes. That is, providing cellular coverage in homes is a challenge for carriers. If a home has a stucco exterior, this typically includes a wire mesh which is problematic for the transmission of cellular signals. Taking advantage of the relatively better coverage of a wireless home network within such a structure may get around this issue. However, carriers have a culture of control in all aspects of the communication and security of their networks. Offloading data to the home network means giving up control in that they are no longer the providers of the network into the home.
It is therefore desirable to provide tools and techniques by which corporate IT policies may be reliably enforced on the home networks of telecommuters. It is also desirable to provide tools and techniques by which carriers may extend monitoring, quality of service compliance, and security into the homes of their users.